JayPoc
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Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

Came home from the beach to some Grandma Oliver's Chocolate!

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a (not quite but very close to) ripe GOC.

Ok, so I wasn't sure if I should start a new thread, but I know some of you are into specific varieties. I came home from almost two weeks of vacation and was pleasantly surprised. My house sitter was prepared to water as needed, but that was about the end of his responsibility. Everything survived just fine!

And, I've been getting tomatoes! One or two a day at this point, plus a good handful of cherry maters as well. I'm fast approaching the basketfull a day stage, and I'm SOOOOO excited. Very little disease (one plant only, really) and insect problems to date. So far, I've eaten a Lehrer Tomate, a GOC, and one of my mystery potato leafs. All plenty tasty. I have to say, I was surprised by the Grandma Oliver's. For some reason, I was expecting a smallish fruit, but these are all good sized 'maters.

The Lehrer's are another story all together, I have several green fruit well larger than a large softball. I *think* I may have a few contenders for the largest fruit contest forming, but we'll see. Anyway, I'll update my other thread with pictures of the plants when I get a chance.

It's good to be home.... :-()

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Wow looks so good! My first year growing GOC also -- are your seeds from Gixx?

I noticed this morning that my still green GOC fruits have grown a lot bigger, too. 8)

JayPoc
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Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

applestar wrote:Wow looks so good! My first year growing GOC also -- are your seeds from Gixx?

I noticed this morning that my still green GOC fruits have grown a lot bigger, too. 8)
Yep...all my "fancy" stuff came from Don. I also have some Sgt. Peppers F4 starting to ripen as well. Very odd plant. The plant has looked just terrible from day one....wispy and puny....but it's covered in these awesome looking heart shaped fruit. I'm still a week or two away from a good family picture with multiple varieties...

This is my first year really growing anything with lots of antho...It's so cool to see these nearly black shoulders on otherwise pale green fruits...

JayPoc
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Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

Just had my first multi-variety pick of the year. It's definitely starting to pick up!

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Clockwise, starting with the cherries: VF Supersweet 100 hybrid cherries, Sgt. Peppers F4, Lehrer Tomate, Grandma Oliver's Chocolate, and my Mystery Potato Leaf Volunteer (second generation from the original volunteer).

All but the cherries are slightly under-ripe at the moment....

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applestar
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Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

We ate our first two Grandma Oliver's Chocolate!
Scrumptious rich full tomato flavor, assertive with lingering acid tang. I knew this was going to be shouting TOMATO in my mouth because I have been smelling rich tomato paste every time I passed the tray of harvested tomatoes, and when I leaned over them and sniffed, I realized it was coming from the two ripe GOC :lol:

Definitely a returning keeper in my garden from now on. 8)

We ate a smaller one, then cut up the bigger one because we had to have more! :wink:
Here's the bigger one, just under a pound :()
image.jpg

JayPoc
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Joined: Wed Nov 28, 2012 12:00 pm
Location: Virginia, The mountains Zone 6a/6b

They seem pretty susceptible to rain related cracking...so most of mine are ugly now, but still very tasty. I'm finally getting some German Johnson ripe, which have traditionally been my fave. Looking forward to a taste-off



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